Our work

The EESC issues between 160 and 190 opinions and information reports a year.

It also organises several annual initiatives and events with a focus on civil society and citizens’ participation such as the Civil Society Prize, the Civil Society Days, the Your Europe, Your Say youth plenary and the ECI Day.

Members & Groups

The EESC brings together representatives from all areas of organised civil society, who give their independent advice on EU policies and legislation. The EESC's 350 Members are organised into three groups: Employers, Workers and Various Interests.

Sections & other bodies

The EESC has six sections, specialising in concrete topics of relevance to the citizens of the European Union, ranging from social to economic affairs, energy, environment, external relations or the internal market.

EESC's Workers' Group welcomes agreement on work-life balance

On 24 January the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Member States reached an agreement on the work-life balance directive. "This agreement is a concrete step towards making the lives of European working parents and carers easier,"saidGaby Bischoff, president of the Workers' Group at the EESC.

The Workers' Group led the discussions on strengthening the rights of workers with caring responsibilities within the EESC with its opinion on the work-life balance of working parents and caregivers, seeing as trade unions had been pushing for this legislative initiative as an integral part of the European Social Pillar to bring social progress to European citizens.

"We welcome the agreement as it will achieve progress by introducing 10 days' paternity leave around the time of birth. This leave is paid at the same level as sick leave for fathers or equivalent second partners, thus achieving the proposal's goal of increasing fathers'/partners' involvement. Mothers and fathers are entitled to parental leave, paid at an 'adequate' level. This was a key campaigning issue for trade unions in order to assist parents in achieving a better work-life balance. In addition, people caring for a sick relative will be able to take five days' carer's leave", said Gaby Bischoff.

"Work-life balance policies are tools that will enable women and men to make choices starting from a level playing field," said Erika Koller, the rapporteur for the opinion. "This agreement is not a silver bullet that will solve everything, but it is certainly a step in the right direction." (ppr)